Improvement in signal-lanterns



1.2.11. FDOTE & a, L. GILMAN.

Signal-Lantern. 91 ,1 1,021, I v Patented Marc h23,1875.

THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOTO.-LITH.39&4I PARK PLAOLN-Y,

EDWARD H. FOOTE AND EDWARD L. GILMAN, OF SOMERVILLE, MASS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SlGNAL-LANTERNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 161,021, dated March23, 1875; application filed February 3, 1875.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDWARD H. Foocrn and EDWARD L. GILMAN, ofSomerville, in the county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Lanterns, of which thefollowing is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enableany person skilled in the art or science to which our inventionappertains to make and use the same, reference bein g had to theaccompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in whichFigure l is an isoinetrical perspective view, and Fig. 2 a plan of thebottom.

Like letters of reference indicate correspond ing parts in thedifferent, figures of the draw- 1ng.

Our invention relates to that class of lanterns which are employed ingiving dangersignals on railways; and consists in a novel constructionand arrangement of the parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth andclaimed, by which a simpler, cheaper, and more elfective device of thischaracter is produced than is now in ordinary use.

It is well known that it is frequently necessary, in order to avoidaccidents on railways, to improvise a red light or danger-signal for theoccasion, and also to use more signals of this kind than are usually athand.

Our improvement is designed to obviate these (lll'fiOllltlBS, and tothat end we so con-. struct and arrange an ordinary lantern that it maybe instantly converted into a red light or dangersignal without removingthe lamp or thaemployment of extra glasses or colored lenses.

In the drawing, A represents an ordinary lamp, provided with means forattaching it to the lantern. Bis a thin metallic base or hoop, havingits lower edge out in such a manner that it may be easily pushed on overthe top of the lamp, and will then adhere thereto by friction. Risingfrom this hoop are four standards, e e c 6, connected at their tops bythe flat ring F, and withinthese standards there is a coiled spring, g.A flat metallic ring, D, is disposed beneath the ring F, and arranged toslide upon the standards 0 e, and to press upon the spring g. Around thestandards 0 e and the spring 9, and attached to the ring D and hoop B,there is a thin lace or cloth screen, 0, of the proper color to producea red light as the rays of the lamp pass through it, and preferablyfire-proofed. Attached to the ring D there are also two cords, h h,which pass downwardly through holes n n in the base of the lamp, and aresecured to the arms 70 k of the lever I, which is pivoted at J. A flatcurved spring-catch, L, having a notch, (not shown,) is attached to thebase by the rivet m, and so arranged that one arm of the lever I isbeneath or outside of it, and falls into the notch when turned, as shownin Fig. 2.

From the foregoing it will be obvious to all conversant with suchmatters that when the lever I is turned on its pivot J, as shown. inFig. 2, the ring D will be drawn down, compressing the spring 9 andscreen 0, thus showing a white light; and that when the springcatch L isdepressed and the lever I released. the expansive action of the spring gwill elevate the ring D and screen 0, instantly producing a red light.

It will be obvious that a green light, or a light of any required color,may be produced by a proper change of the screen.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. The lamp A,provided with the hoop B, standards 0, ring D, spring g, and screen U,combined to operate substantially as and for the purpose specified.

The lever I, catch L, and cords h h, in combination with the screen 0and spring g, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

EDWARD H. Doors. EDWARD L. GILMAN.

Witnesses:

EMILY E. Foo'rn, MARY ANN GILMAN.

